Many times we are troubled and shaken by so-called end-time-prophecies.Many times a sense of fear is provoked amongst believers. All based on obedience and own works ... Do! Get Busy! Serve! Obey!
True Gospel vs distorted gospel
The same happened to believers in Thessalonica (from a root word meaning "victory of falsity") ...
After Paul had brought the Gospel of Christ to those in the region around A.D. 49, his work was in danger of being thwarted by Jewish, Greek and Roman adversaries.
A special concern believers had was with regards to the return of Christ and their loved ones who had recently passed on.
Paul's first epistle set out to encourage them by describing the return of Christ in much detail. It fueled hope to the grieving believers explaining how that the dead in Christ would first be resurrected where after the living in Christ would be caught up to meet Him in the air and be with Him forever.
Enters the doubt sower
Yet, by the time Paul was writing his second epistle to those living in "victory of falsity" believers had been influenced to effectively put a stop to their daily lives in anticipation of "the day of Christ had come".
People were taught by an adverse force that they had to get themselves ready because "the day" was at hand. All of this resulted in chaos and disorder. Some resigned their jobs. Others compromised the true doctrine of Grace they were taught by Paul and Silas and Timothy and lived anxiously.
Christ is coming - get ready or get left behind!
However, Paul admonishes them with the words be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 2Th 2:2
Paul is saying that they must stick to what he taught them, with what they are sure of. Christ will return and all those in Him, dead or alive will live with Him forever.
Believers in Tessalonica were being confused and distressed by deliberate false teaching of the coming of Christ, whilst He was already abiding inside of them - in their hearts and in their mouth (Rom 10:8).
Be persuaded! Not shaken!
Paul is saying that they should retain their persuasion of the Truth as he (Paul) taught them. They should therefore be wary of any misconstrued, deceiving doctrine contrary to tHe Gospel of Grace, whether presented to them by spirit, by word, by person, even by letter under pretense that Paul sent it to them in.
When Paul concludes his epistle in chapter 3, he encourages their hope by confirming the confidence he had in the Jesus with regards to the believers. He plainly tells them they should withdraw from anyone who walks disorderly (ataktōs - out of order; irregular, deviating from what was set).
So, here's the message
If anyone or anything forces you to do something that makes you feel pressured and out of place with the Word of God, already inside of you - dump them immediately and relax!